RTC judge shot dead in Zamboanga

MANILA, Philippines – (2nd UPDATE) A Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge died early Friday, February 28 in Zamboanga City after he was shot by two men riding in tandem.

Judge Reynario Estacio Sr and his wife were onboard a Honda CRV along Narra Drive, Tugbungan, Zamboanga City, when they were shot, according to Tetuan chief of police Chief Inspector Felix Martinez. 

Martinez said Estacio and his wife were fired at several times with a caliber 45 pistol. Estacio was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was declared dead on arrival. Estacio sustained multiple injuries while his wife was unharmed. 

Zamboanga authorities are on hot pursuit of the two suspects. Estacio was the presiding judge of RTC Branch 14 in Zamboanga. The motives behind the shooting are unknown as of posting. 

A report from the Mindanao Examiner said that in 2012, Estacio ordered the Universidad de Zamboanga’s to admit Muslim students to enroll or re-enroll following a controversial ban on veils. 

The university in 2012 banned students from using the hijab or niqab, because it violated the school’s security protocol, according to the Mindanao Examiner. Students, however, said it encroached on their rights.

The same year, another school in Zamboanga – Pilar College – banned female Muslim students from wearing the traditional hijab while inside campus. The ban in Pilar College was eventually lifted following dialogue between concerned groups.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines Zambasulta chapter vice presient Gian Paulo Enriquez, meanwhile, condemened the killing and challenged police to resign from their posts if they are unable to solve the crime. 

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, in a statement, expressed her “deepest outrage” over the incident and offered her condolences to the judge’s family.

She said Zamboanga City executive judge Peter Eisma has been instructed to closely monitor the police probe and to assist Estacio’s family.

“When lawless violence claims one of our own, it wounds us more grievously not only because we would be one good man less but also because the rule of law is diminished by the sheer force of arms,” the Chief Justice said.

“We will not…let the killing of Judge Estacio remain another statistic due to the judiciary’s lack of investigative or law enforcement capacities; within the bounds of our resources, we will look into ways of protecting our judges and looking after their families,” Sereno added. – with reports from Richard Falcatan, Bea Cupin/Rappler.com